One Item for BM a Day (2010-2012)

[EmilyD]

The big item is GOT!

FINALLY!!! OUR TICKETS ARE SECURED!!! Whew, whew, whew, whew, whew, and YAY!

A million thanks to the burning heart who pushed a pair of tickets our way. Saving a big, dusty hug for you!

Now, need to help the rest of our poor decimated camp get their tickets so we can have a good display of artcars!

[lucky420]

YAY and CONGRATS EmilyD!!

[lazerfox]

Congrats!!

[inthecolumbiagorge]

Love the kimono and vest mgb and that fabric was seriously an awesome find! Looking forward to a pic of the hat when you get it finished.

[peyote2004]

yesterday's thrift store find was a god awful looking silver sequin dress with white fringe (think cowboy shirt from the 50's fringe) on the bottom. it is fabulous and I can't wait to wear it. for $2.99. yes!!!

I love it ... Only on ePlaya, will someone describe something as "God awful" and follow it with "I can't wait to wear it"

No new purchases here. I'm preparing to move into a 2 bedroom apartment from a huge 3 bedroom townhouse, so there's a lot of sorting and packing going on. I have tons of old clothes to go through. Some will go to good will, and others like my old prom dresses and stuff from my hippie & goth eras will be packed away for recycling into my BM attire. I am also looking at replacing some of my camping gear with collapsible or smaller versions.

[tattoogoddess]

heck yeah! SO happy to see you got tickets!

[trilobyte]

Congratulations, EmilyD!

I think it does vary by city (not just goodwill, but any thrift store)… not just by pricing at the location (it's all determined locally by the people at each shop) but by the stuff you're able to score. SF is a bit more expensive than other cities, but the cost of living here is higher (and subsequently the rent on the space those guys are working out of), but on the flip side the quality of goods is pretty high (both at Goodwill and Out Of The Closet, the two big thrift store joints in the bay area). I've lived and thrifted in many cities in the US, and SF beats everywhere I've been (though since my gf and I got together I find I thrift less… we just enjoy making things a lot). AntiM's tales of awesomeness from her trip to Hawaii a few months ago make me think they have SF beat, but it's probably also a case of "one man's junk is another man's treasure."

I picked up some big glass jars, glass pitcher, and a few other kitchen goodies I needed… not so much for the playa directly, but so I could make a couple batches of lemoncello (a wonderful liqueur made from lemon zest). Then I zested 38 lemons, put them into the jars of booze and set them off in a cool dark place (it's a long process, should be ready in time for Burning Man). From there it was juicing time, we ended up with a small batch of lemonade to enjoy for today, and nearly half a gallon of juice that I'll work out portions, freeze, and then vac-seal. On playa it'll be easy to turn back into lemonade, raspberry or strawberry lemonade, or boozy variants of the above in batches.

[Sham]

My big item over this weekend was two sturdy shipping boxes so I can start packing my stuff to ship ahead of me. This will give me enough time to sort my things so I don't forget my shorts like I did last year!

Congrats EmilyD. Miracles DO happen!

[AntiM]

Huzzah for EmilyD!

Hawaii thrift shops are very hit and miss, but the hits are terrific. We hit a couple in Vermont and were sorely disappointed, high prices and boring selections. Must be all scoured by folks looking to sell "antiques" to tourists.

[lazerfox]

trilobyte lemoncello is so delicious. But we have a history

All that talk of zest and lemonade made my mouth water (& simultaneously pucker!) Yum!

[Foxfur]

Huzzah for EmilyD!

Hawaii thrift shops are very hit and miss, but the hits are terrific. We hit a couple in Vermont and were sorely disappointed, high prices and boring selections. Must be all scoured by folks looking to sell "antiques" to tourists.

When I lived in Vermont we made money hand over fist selling cleverly anitqued furniture to flatlanders from Taxachusetts...

[SquirrelHead]

I keep checking the Goodwills here in Charlotte NC but they keep having boring plane jane kind of clothing. I am still hoping I will hit the goldmine so I keep looking.

[AntiM]

I found the people in Vermont to be very friendly. Very "aloha". I could see living there.

[theCryptofishist]

I find that some of the more amazing scores are from "off brand" thrift stores. The ones that are manned by little old ladies.

And I thought that the Goodwill prices in the bay area were set in that sorting center in Sacramento.

[AntiM]

When I feel better I want to go volunteer at the PacknPounce.

[EmilyD]

Congratulations, EmilyD!

I think it does vary by city (not just goodwill, but any thrift store)… not just by pricing at the location (it's all determined locally by the people at each shop) but by the stuff you're able to score. SF is a bit more expensive than other cities, but the cost of living here is higher (and subsequently the rent on the space those guys are working out of), but on the flip side the quality of goods is pretty high (both at Goodwill and Out Of The Closet, the two big thrift store joints in the bay area). I've lived and thrifted in many cities in the US, and SF beats everywhere I've been (though since my gf and I got together I find I thrift less… we just enjoy making things a lot). AntiM's tales of awesomeness from her trip to Hawaii a few months ago make me think they have SF beat, but it's probably also a case of "one man's junk is another man's treasure."

I picked up some big glass jars, glass pitcher, and a few other kitchen goodies I needed… not so much for the playa directly, but so I could make a couple batches of lemoncello (a wonderful liqueur made from lemon zest). Then I zested 38 lemons, put them into the jars of booze and set them off in a cool dark place (it's a long process, should be ready in time for Burning Man). From there it was juicing time, we ended up with a small batch of lemonade to enjoy for today, and nearly half a gallon of juice that I'll work out portions, freeze, and then vac-seal. On playa it'll be easy to turn back into lemonade, raspberry or strawberry lemonade, or boozy variants of the above in batches.

HEY! If you need more lemons we have an abundant tree over in the East Bay. Let me know.

[Savannah]

Both Hawaii and SF have amazing thrift, but in Hawaii the prices are weirdly reasonable. The cost of living is high both places, but I think the difference is a smaller population, and that (most) visitors stay at the beach or hiking up the hills and don't stop in between.

There was a beautiful paisley vintage dressing gown I should have picked up in SF a long time ago, but it cost $36--and it was gently shabby, and just cotton or similar--so the price was a bit shocking to me at the time. (It would have been $10 here, at most.) I picked up a cream tuxedo jacket w/ black trim instead.


. . . I love the out-of-the-way thrift stores in working class suburbs (and areas bordering on rural). Lots of real vintage there, but most people don't snap it up. The mall is safer for the eccentrics until they're off to college.

[trilobyte]

Thanks for the offer, EmilyD, I really appreciate that. But I think I'm good unless it happens to be a meyer lemon tree (I want to make a batch with the same process and those lemons to see, well taste the difference)

[theCryptofishist]

I'm not ready to offer up the fruits of my mother's Meyers trees, but I do wonder what happens if you make it with tangerine. Or orange. or grapefruit, even... But tangerine is the apparent other dna doner for the Meyers.

[lucky420]

Bought today; extra pack of 1ply tp, clip on lites for backpack and paint pens for decorating inside of yurt walls

[EmilyD]

Thanks for the offer, EmilyD, I really appreciate that. But I think I'm good unless it happens to be a meyer lemon tree (I want to make a batch with the same process and those lemons to see, well taste the difference)

No sorry, they're Eurekas and I understand about Meyers....they're lovely. I do also have some navel oranges if you have use for them.

[tattoogoddess]

Found a bunch of fun fabrics at my moms today. Started making a neck cooler. Depending on how many water beads i get in a pack, i am going to try to bring a bunch out to the playa for other people.

I think I have about 90% of my clothing ready to sew that I have left to do. Still need to get fabric to make bottoms though. As I get more ready for the Iowa Burn in July I will have a better Idea of what I am bringing.

[peyote2004]

I like those neck cooler things. Someone gave me one one at a festival I was at. I loaned it to a friend at a different festival, and she lost it. I had totally forgotten about that thing, until I saw your post TTG. Where are you getting your water beads for it?


I am moving in August. I have 2 apartments to view tomorrow. I really hope one of them pans out.

[Drawingablank]

I like those neck cooler things. Someone gave me one one at a festival I was at. I loaned it to a friend at a different festival, and she lost it. I had totally forgotten about that thing, until I saw your post TTG. Where are you getting your water beads for it?


I am moving in August. I have 2 apartments to view tomorrow. I really hope one of them pans out.

Although available in bulk online, I bought a pack in AC Moore that made about ten neck coolers for a couple bucks. Caution don't over fill them.

I'm wearing one in my avatar.

[tattoogoddess]

I am getting mine at True Value Hardware. They also sometimes sell them at Walgreens. Pretty most places you buy gardening stuff will have them. Yeah only fill your pockets 1/4 of a table spoon. Your pushing it at 1/2 of one. There are great tutorials online about them.

[Drawingablank]

If I recall correctly mine have 2 pockets with half a teaspoon each - 1/4 tablespoon would be too much.

[theCryptofishist]

Can you check your math, dab? It's not making much sense to me.

[Drawingablank]

Simple - there are 3 teaspoons per tablespoon:
2 x 1/2 tsp = 1 teaspoon or 1/3 tablespoon
2 x 1/4 Tablespoon = 1/2 tablespoon or 1 1/2 teaspoons (50% more than recommended by most instructions).

[theCryptofishist]

I read that as 1/4 teaspoon, because I never see fractions of tablespoons...

egg on my face

[Drawingablank]

You'd be pretty hard pressed to find a 1/4 Tablespoon measure anyway lol.